06/25/2010

Peas and Morels

We walked over
to the Alemany Farmer's Market on Saturday wanting to get some cucumbers.
That's all I really wanted. One farmer has the sweetest Japanese cucumbers this
time of year. I take one to work to eat with my lunch everyday despite it being
slightly unwieldy to be carrying a cylindrical boomerang in my lunch bag. So I
purchased a bag bursting full of beautiful cucumbers ,but I couldn't stop there.
The mushroom vendor had morel mushrooms for $5… and shelling peas. I never saw
them selling anything but mushrooms before but I'm not complaining.

Peas and Morels

Beautiful Morels

This
is the easiest thing to make and it takes no time at all. I don’t think it is
cooking. It is just applying a little heat to fresh produce. Satisfying on a
summer night with a little bread, butter, cheese and slices of cucumber and
tomato on the side.

Peas and
Morels

•shelling peas

•morel mushrooms

•pancetta

•salt and pepper

Shell your peas (I had a two pound bag)
and steam them. This doesn't take long at all with fresh peas. Don't let them
get mushy with overcooking. Clean and slice the morels. I used a little
pancetta because pork is where it's at and it was in the refrigerator. (The
peas and morels are so fresh that they would be fine on their own) Crisp the
pancetta, remove from the skillet and pour off excess fat. Add butter to the
hot skillet and sauté the morels until they begin to soften. Pour in the peas
and throw in the pancetta. Stir it around, add salt and pepper and it's done.

Tomato

Bread and Cheese

Spring Hill Butter

Lemon Quark and Strawberries

We bought
the above items from the Spring Hill Jersey Cheese vendor. We recently
discovered their butter, having previously only purchased cheese curds. BUY THE
BUTTER! And if you are smart you will also get a container of the Lemon Quark
and have it smeared on strawberries for dessert. Quark. Quark. Quark. Odd word
isn't it? I like it.

Comments

I just finished dinner but reading this post makes me want dinner #2. It also makes me want to drag myself out of the apartment on a saturday morning to visit the local farmer's market. I hope they have okra in boston